Le Classique 2015 Recap

The community really got behind this event, with some large corporate sponsors kicking in some big dollars to help up put this event together and raise some money. We had set the goal this year at raising $40,000 for charity, and I’m happy to say that we hit that target, having raised about 40K for the Canadian CMV Foundation. In addition to actually raising the money for charity, we set a different goal, creating the Canadian CMV Foundation, and that’s another objective I’m proud to say we accomplished. We’re the first National Charity solely devoted to the eradication of CMV. To have our grand opening held during the tournament with several dignitaries present was the icing on the cake and a moment I’ll never forget. Not only did we get significantly more teams than last year, we had a waiting list again this year, and we had a significantly larger crowd of walkup fans this year. All and all, I’m blown away by the results.

Last year was really just an issue of getting pieces of different sizes and hoping that they all fit together, or at least making them fit together. This year, we started planning early enough and were able to secure some pretty neat additions for the fans. In the feedback I’ve received thus far, the main improvement this year was the heated indoor tent. I’ve rarely seen a festive atmosphere like that on an outdoor cold winter evening in Winnipeg. The hockey games ended up being hotly contested, with several of the playoff games going to overtime. This year we debuted our new overtime format and it proved to be a huge fan favorite. We’re always looking for volunteers, so please let us know if you’re interested in helping next year

“My husband and I have wanted to raise money and awareness for CMV for a long time. The fact that the fruit of that labor is an outdoor ball hockey tournament during the coldest month in the coldest city on this planet is mind-boggling. People were genuinely interested in the condition, its causes, and its prevention. I feel that we reached out to so many people and that brings joy to my heart. We have a lot of work to do still, but if some of the pamphlets prevent one CMV infection, I’ve succeeded in my mission to bring change. I can’t wait for next year already!”

I love this weekend because it truly brings out the best of what it means to be Canadian living in St. Boniface. It’s all about making the best of our situation. People enjoy playing ball hockey, and people enjoy having a good time. With the bands going all night and all day, the beer gardens and the heated firepits, I’m proud to say that I was a small part of what was an unbelievable experience for me, my family and my clients. I have long sponsored events in and around Winnipeg, but this is one event where I’m proud to say that I not only sponsored, but had a hand in creating. It’s with great sadness that I see it having outgrown our parking lot, but looking forward to being there again this year at the new venue. Congrats to Rob and Marc for their amazing success.

Not many events are able to raise over $40,000 in their second year of existence. This is due to the people opening their wallets, donating prizes and dollars, and the all out generosity of our fantastic community sponsors. I’ve been on boards before, and I’ve worked in some non-for profit, and I can tell you that it’s a joy to work in this group and to put this event together. The fact that we raised $40,000 for a truly noble cause warms my heart. Thank you everyone for helping raise money and awareness.